The Average Blogger

2024 Review

 

A lot of things in 2024 made a lot of people unhappy, but I was generally not in that group.  

1. What did you do this year that you'd never done before?
Met the parents of my kid's girlfriend.  Then he got a new one. I haven't met the new set.  

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Ha! I did! I lost weight!  Gonna try to keep it up in 2025.  

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No, and I am grateful.  One nephew I see once a year became a dad; that was it. 

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Not close to me emotionally, but there was a pretty grisly murder-suicide in town—committed by the guy who gave me my ring finger tattoo—that bummed out a lot of folks.    

5. What countries did you visit?
As usual, just this one. 

6. What would you like to have in the new year that you lacked this year?
OMG, we got the new siding asked for in 2024! Let's see if the wishing here is effective: In the new year, I'd like to have a kid who better manages his finances and grades. Hahahaha, serves you right, Young Prince!!     

7. What date from the year will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I should excise this question since I never answer it, but I keep thinking maybe something will stick.  

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Meeting new people and not alienating all of them instantly.   

9. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Only age-related aches and pains.  

10. What was the best thing you bought?
The answer is always travel. Phoenix; Myrtle Beach and the Biltmore; Vegas for SC football and reunion; New Orleans and Sarasota. And the siding is pretty nice, as was replacing the completely rotten wall before the house fell down.    

11. Whose behavior merited celebration? 
I try to believe that all good behavior merits celebration. I guess Stackpole Books, for taking JB's book for publication.

12. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? 
More depressed than appalled—the person who told me to fuck off when I tried to be nice after the election.  

13. Where did most of your money go? 
Same as last year: the house, travel, tuition.     

14. What did you get really, really, really excited about? 
Traveling with JB, like always. I must be getting older, because Christmas did not excite me as much this year. 

15. What song will always remind you of this year?
Santa Claus Is Smoking Reefer, performed by the Squirrel Nut Zippers in St. Louis.  

16. Compared to this time last year, are you: 
i. happier or sadder? I keep waiting to plateau on happiness, and I'm always delighted when I keep getting happier instead.   
ii. thinner or fatter? THINNER!! 
iii. richer or poorer? As I told friends at New Year's, I don't ACT rich, I AM rich.  In so many ways.  

17. What do you wish you'd done more of? 
Writing. Spending time outdoors.    

18. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Fretting and sliding down social media rabbit holes.    

19. How (did) you spend Christmas?
Party at our house the 14th; the kid brought his girlfriend home Dec. 16; Christmas Eve with JB's family at my niece KC's house; Christmas at my mom's.  

20. Did you fall in love?
This one remains an established daily tradition since 1998. And like every year, this was the best year yet. 

21. What was your favorite TV program?
Yellowstone ended with a bit of a whimper, but it kept me interested. JB got back into Dexter and watched the spinoffs, which more or less allowed me to forgive the awful last episode of the original series.    

22. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I don't hate anyone, but I am doing a better job of distancing myself from folks who disappoint me.    

23. What was the best book you read? 
Ha. I read a LOT of bad books trying to find a way to write a good "women's" book. But I also finally got around to Andrew Roberts' bio of Churchill, and that was EXCELLENT.      

24. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Postmodern Jukebox!  

25. What did you want and get? 
Siding, and by extension a house that won't fall down. 

26. What was your favorite film of this year?
Dune 2 was pretty great, although I wasn't as dazzled as the kid was. Argylle was better than people said. Megalopolis was interesting but I do not need to see it again. 

27. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 53. Had a great steak dinner in Bloomington. 

28. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Finishing my novel. But I'm hoping that is what 2025 is for! 

29. How would you describe your personal fashion concept this year?
I've found what works. Mostly sundresses, a sort of Western undertone. I bought my first pair of cowboy (cowgirl?) boots and they are UHmazing!    

30. What kept you sane? 
Getting off social media before the election. Trying to hold the line on my work hours. 

31. What political issue stirred you the most?
I maintain my refusal to be stirred by that stuff anymore. It's become SEP.  

32. Who did you miss?
I dug up some information that really made me wish my grandfather was still alive and could explain to me.  

33. Who was the best new person you met?
The Saunders family—including the dogs!       

34. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned: 
It is possible to scale back a friendship to a polite acquaintance-ship rather than just noping out of there entirely.    

35. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Those who know will whisper when they see us walking, "There's a love that's always meant to be."

A lot of things in 2024 made a lot of people unhappy, but I was generally not in that group.  

1. What did you do this year that you'd never done before?
Met the parents of my kid's girlfriend.  Then he got a new one. I haven't met the new set.  

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Ha! I did! I lost weight!  Gonna try to keep it up in 2025.  

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No, and I am grateful.  One nephew I see once a year became a dad; that was it. 

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Not close to me emotionally, but there was a pretty grisly murder-suicide in town—committed by the guy who gave me my ring finger tattoo—that bummed out a lot of folks.    

5. What countries did you visit?
As usual, just this one. 

6. What would you like to have in the new year that you lacked this year?
OMG, we got the new siding asked for in 2024! Let's see if the wishing here is effective: In the new year, I'd like to have a kid who better manages his finances and grades. Hahahaha, serves you right, Young Prince!!     

7. What date from the year will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I should excise this question since I never answer it, but I keep thinking maybe something will stick.  

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Meeting new people and not alienating all of them instantly.   

9. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Only age-related aches and pains.  

10. What was the best thing you bought?
The answer is always travel. Phoenix; Myrtle Beach and the Biltmore; Vegas for SC football and reunion; New Orleans and Sarasota. And the siding is pretty nice, as was replacing the completely rotten wall before the house fell down.    

11. Whose behavior merited celebration? 
I try to believe that all good behavior merits celebration. I guess Stackpole Books, for taking JB's book for publication.

12. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? 
More depressed than appalled—the person who told me to fuck off when I tried to be nice after the election.  

13. Where did most of your money go? 
Same as last year: the house, travel, tuition.     

14. What did you get really, really, really excited about? 
Traveling with JB, like always. I must be getting older, because Christmas did not excite me as much this year. 

15. What song will always remind you of this year?
Santa Claus Is Smoking Reefer, performed by the Squirrel Nut Zippers in St. Louis.  

16. Compared to this time last year, are you: 
i. happier or sadder? I keep waiting to plateau on happiness, and I'm always delighted when I keep getting happier instead.   
ii. thinner or fatter? THINNER!! 
iii. richer or poorer? As I told friends at New Year's, I don't ACT rich, I AM rich.  In so many ways.  

17. What do you wish you'd done more of? 
Writing. Spending time outdoors.    

18. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Fretting and sliding down social media rabbit holes.    

19. How (did) you spend Christmas?
Party at our house the 14th; the kid brought his girlfriend home Dec. 16; Christmas Eve with JB's family at my niece KC's house; Christmas at my mom's.  

20. Did you fall in love?
This one remains an established daily tradition since 1998. And like every year, this was the best year yet. 

21. What was your favorite TV program?
Yellowstone ended with a bit of a whimper, but it kept me interested. JB got back into Dexter and watched the spinoffs, which more or less allowed me to forgive the awful last episode of the original series.    

22. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I don't hate anyone, but I am doing a better job of distancing myself from folks who disappoint me.    

23. What was the best book you read? 
Ha. I read a LOT of bad books trying to find a way to write a good "women's" book. But I also finally got around to Andrew Roberts' bio of Churchill, and that was EXCELLENT.      

24. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Postmodern Jukebox!  

25. What did you want and get? 
Siding, and by extension a house that won't fall down. 

26. What was your favorite film of this year?
Dune 2 was pretty great, although I wasn't as dazzled as the kid was. Argylle was better than people said. Megalopolis was interesting but I do not need to see it again. 

27. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 53. Had a great steak dinner in Bloomington. 

28. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Finishing my novel. But I'm hoping that is what 2025 is for! 

29. How would you describe your personal fashion concept this year?
I've found what works. Mostly sundresses, a sort of Western undertone. I bought my first pair of cowboy (cowgirl?) boots and they are UHmazing!    

30. What kept you sane? 
Getting off social media before the election. Trying to hold the line on my work hours. 

31. What political issue stirred you the most?
I maintain my refusal to be stirred by that stuff anymore. It's become SEP.  

32. Who did you miss?
I dug up some information that really made me wish my grandfather was still alive and could explain to me.  

33. Who was the best new person you met?
The Saunders family—including the dogs!       

34. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned: 
It is possible to scale back a friendship to a polite acquaintance-ship rather than just noping out of there entirely.    

35. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Those who know will whisper when they see us walking, "There's a love that's always meant to be."

Year in Review, 2010

Facebook tells me a lot of people had a bad time in 2010.  I wouldn't say I had a bad time, but I certainly did seem to find myself generally less satisfied than in years past.  Can't really explain why, though. A lot of it had to do with work, though I'm not sure what I would have done differently to make it better.

NYAB quit his job, decided he liked having a job, and got a new one, so he is still working where I work.

The YP seems to have found an even keel in school and is doing relatively well. Or so we hear, anyway.

So there were a few accomplishments, a few setbacks, some blunders.  All in all, a pretty good learning curve of a year.

1. What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before?
Made jelly. And won a blue ribbon for same.

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I'm going to go the other way this time. I resolve to be perfectly spherical by this time next year.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes! Hello, Angela and Harper!

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Well, there are a few days to go yet, but we seem to have gotten all that out of the way last year, thank goodness.

5. What countries did you visit?
Just other parts of this one.

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
More exercise. More free time. More sleep. Less self-imposed stress.

7. What date from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Well, the kid's birthday in a blizzard that turned into a week in a hotel room was pretty memorable.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I think the family made some pretty big strides in terms of figuring out strengths, weaknesses, and limitations. NYAB needs a day job. The YP needs structure. I need a lot of outlets for venting.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Work-life balance completely fell apart in both directions, but in some ways our schedule forced it to stay fairly close to where it should be.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nope.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Our trip to Alaska. Though the new TV is pretty damn awesome.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
The YP, who is doing immeasurably better than this time last year, though I tend to lose sight of that fact in the day to day.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
As usual, a few work-related things could have gone a lot better with far less drama and far more advance consideration of consequences.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Vacations. And a car. And stuff.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Any time I got to spend not working.

16. What song will always remind you of 2010?
Mr. Blue Sky.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
    i. happier or sadder? Happier.
    ii. thinner or fatter? Fat-fat-fatter.
    iii. richer or poorer? Er. Cash-poor, but so worth it.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Exercise. Gardening.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Work.

20. How (did) you spend Christmas?
At home. Hunkered down and in hiding. It was lovely.

21. Did you fall in love in 2010?
Over and over.

22. What was your favorite TV program?
Buh. Dr. Who, I guess.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No, but I am less fond of a whole lot of people.

24. What was the best book you read?
Did I manage to read a book this year? I liked I See Rude People.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
That I can love and hate Katy Perry all at the same time.

26. What did you want and get?
I wanted the kid to do better in school. He delivered.

27. What was your favorite film of this year?
Red was pretty good.

28. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I ate a lot, and got ice cream cake. 39.

29. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
More money. More free time.

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
Finding five outfits I liked and wearing them to death.

31. What kept you sane?
Same as last year. Confidantes who listened.

32. What political issue stirred you the most?
I'm so fed up with all of it that I'm ready to go live in a Central American hotbed. Except I like not getting raped and shot. The election was fun, if exhausting. Should be interesting to see how next year shakes out.

33. Who did you miss?
I found I had a lot of questions I wish I'd asked JB's mom. And my aunt Shirley.

34. Who was the best new person you met?
My new staff members are all pretty awesome. I hope they stick around.

35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010:
If you spend enough time being nice, people are really surprised and responsive when you finally hit bitch mode. 

36. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Runnin' down the avenue, see how the sun shines brightly in the city....

Year(s) in Review, 2009

We are back from Hawaii.  I'm six days too late to make any resolutions about blogging every day, or any of that, so I'm not going to bother. 

I will post at some point and probably at some length about our trip, which was fantastic and wonderful and I want to go back RFN and get a job as a cab driver, a waitress, I don't care, just so I can be where it's warm.

So, it's the end of the decade.  I guess some people are glad to see it go. It seems like a lot of people I know had a very unhappy 10 years, culminating in a miserable 2009.  Understandable. On the geopolitical level, things certainly were a mess, even before Sept. 11.  On a personal level, though, I did pretty well. Along the way I seem to have lost a few friends, but I've gained a bunch more, and up until 2009, nobody particularly close to me died. All in all, that's a good 10 years.

2000 -- moved to DC
2001 -- got married
2002 -- got pregnant, went to Israel, Angels won the series.
2003 -- had a baby
2004 -- bought a house, Sox won the series
2005 -- Visited the Pacific Northwest.
2006 -- We went consumerist and got an HD TV.
2007 -- Had first non-kid vacation since 2002, a week in Chicago.
2008 -- Facebook reconnected me with people I thought long gone.
2009 -- Got promoted, NYAB decided to try working from home

Meanwhile, here is a meme I started doing back in 2004 when I was a member of TomTom Club, and have resurrected each year since -- though I'm not sure why, since the answers don't seem to change much. I always remember something I left out after I've posted it, maybe this year I'll bother to add those in the comments.

1. What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before?
Went to Hawaii.

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn't keep any of them. I should quit on these. Though the bathing suit photos from Hawaii, dear god, those should help with the perennial this-year-I'm-really-going-to-diet idea.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes! Hi, Jessica and Owen!

4. Did anyone close to you die?
NYAB lost both his parents within a few months of each other.

5. What countries did you visit?
Just other parts of this one.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
More time. More sleep. Less self-imposed stress.

7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I don't remember dates very well. But I'll remember my company's blood-letting as a painful turning point. And I'll remember the day NYAB finally decided to call it quits on journalism.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Not losing my job, I guess?

9. What was your biggest failure?
Failing to meet the YP's academic needs.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No, knock wood.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Our trip to Hawaii.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Those colleagues who lost their jobs but managed to do so without acrimony and public brouhaha.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Other colleagues.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Stuff. Trips. Outings.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Hawaii -- do you see a theme here?

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
B-52's Funplex.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
    i. happier or sadder? Happier.
    ii. thinner or fatter? Fat-fat-fatter.
    iii. richer or poorer? Richer in every sense.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Gotten really good at something other than woring.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Work.

20. How (did) you spend Christmas?
The day was at home. We left the next day for Hawaii.

21. Did you fall in love in 2009?
Over and over.

22. What was your favorite TV program?
Lost.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No, but I am less fond of a whole lot of people.

24. What was the best book you read?
I read a lot of books this year. Most of them were brain candy. But I liked.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Am too old and busy to be making discoveries these days.

26. What did you want and get?
I think I got absolutely everything I wanted this year. How freaking awesome is that?

27. What was your favorite film of this year?
Heavens. Did I see any non-kid movies this year? I liked Up. Or was that last year?

28. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I should remember this, shouldn't I? But I don't. 38.

29. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Well, attending fewer funerals would have been nice, I think.  And having a jillion dollars, same as previous years.

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Working around fat.I did buy some new suits. Then it got cold and I stopped wearing skirts that short.

31. What kept you sane?
Family. Co-workers with shared opinions.

32. What political issue stirred you the most?
Health care and pointless, irritating weekend and holiday sessions of Congress.

33. Who did you miss?
No one, really. That's pretty awesome too. 

34. Who was the best new person you met?
Did we meet anyone new? I guess the new-new neighbors?

35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009:
I haven't really learned this lesson yet, but I'm starting to accept the fact that no matter what I try to do to nudge them along, some people are just going to be colossally disappointing, for whatever reason -- their priorities, their attitudes, their lack of dedication to mission, their inability to see beyond themselves, whatever. What I have learned is that it isn't necessarily anyone's fault -- they are what they are, I am what I am, and if we are still at loggerheads after repeated failed attempts to converge, there's nothing more I can do but be disappointed and then get over it and find something else to do. 

36. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Don't you know we're living in stolen moments
You steal enough it feels like we're stopping time
These days are gold we're living in stolen moments
Just grab hold and feel these days are yours and mine

Consideration

Mail/Newspaper delivery:
Watch pets
clear clutter from curb and away from mailbox
offer beverages, baked goods, thank you notes.
learn names.

Trash/recycling:
Dispose of stuff correctly (cat litter?)
Don't overload bins
Sort correctly
Don't block hydrants. Try to dogproof.

Bus Drivers
be ready to board with correct money
don't chat with driver
respect the rules
stop for school buses

Delivery
Outdoor lighting
Have money ready
show safety concern
don't leave after placing an order

Office cleaners
Pour liquids down sink
don't weigh down trash cans
conversely, make sure trash is in trash cans

Receptionists
check in and move on
speak clearly and identify self
be polite, patient and personal.

Security
cooperate
smile and say hello
put them on your team

 

Makeup Memo

makeup primer: smooth skins gets rid of fine lines. don't need if you have even complexion.  laura mercier makeup primer

toner: eliminates oil and tightens pores. lierac toner.

Wrinkle filler: works like primer. dior capture R60/80 filler.

Anti-aging serum: prevents or repairs wrinkles. wear it under sunscreen.  ole henriksen serum. not for dry skin.

Eye cream -- unwrinkles, unpuff, brighten. Befine Eye blossom. not for women who moisturize already.

night cream: heavy duty moisturizer. garnier nutritioniste ultralift night cream not for oily skin

What everyone needs
cleanser
facial moisturizer with spf
sunscreen
lip balm and hand cream with spf
body moisturizer

Blogs I Like

1-2-3 I Love You
BaltAmour
CoffeeGirl
dcBlogs
Dodging Traffic Cones
Kat in the World
LizLand
Mighty and Sublime
Mommie Diarist
Passive Aggressive Notes
Pop Cesspool
Sister Toldjah
Sparkling Cipher

Travel

JANUARY
Sundance
Park City Utah
www.festival.sundance.org

Good time to go to Hawaii

FEBRUARY
Good time to go to Europe

Superbowl
www.superbowl.com

Daytona 500
www.daytona500.com

MARCH
Good time to go to Europe

South by Southwest, in Austin

St. Patrick’s Day parade in Savannah, Ga.,
www.savannahsaintpatricksday.com

Spring training

APRIL
Spamarama in Austin
http://www.eccentricamerica.com/spam.htm

NOLA Jazz Fest

Good time to go to Colorado

MAY
Good time to visit NYC, the Caribbean

Spoleto Festival, Charleston SC
www.spoletousa.org

Kentucky Derby
www.kentuckyderby.com

JUNE
Good time to go to Mexico

Food & Wine Magazine Classic
Aspen, Colo.
www.foodandwine.com/classic

Taste of Chicago
www.tasteofchicago.com

Golf US Open
www.usopen.com

CMA Music Fest in Nashville

Summerfest in Milwaukee

Tanglewood in Lenox, Mass., through August

JULY
Good time to go to Vegas

AUGUST   
La Tomatina  in Bunol Spain
http://www.donquijote.org/culture/spain/fiestas/tomatina.asp

Tennis US Open
www.usopen.org

Potato Day in Clark, SD
http://www.clarksd.com/Potato%20Day.htm

International regatta of bathtubs in Dinant, Belgium
http://www.belgiumtheplaceto.be/international_bathtub_regatta_in_dinant.php

SEPTEMBER
Defenders Day at Fort McHenry: 
Concert, fireworks, re-enactment.
http://www.nps.gov/fomc/

Kentucky Bourbon Festival in Bardstown
www.kybourbonfestival.com

Fall Migration in Myrtle Beach, www.northmyrtlebeachchamber.com

Neptune Festival Sand Sculpting Contest in Virginia Beach www.neptunefestival.com
last weekend in September

Matchmaking Festival in county clare, Ireland
http://www.cstn.org/reports/europe/ireland/irelandlisdoonvarna97.html

Good time to go to Florida, California, Mexico

OCTOBER
Good time to go to Europe

Huntsville Texas, Fair on the Square, early October: www.chamber.huntsville.tx.us

Wake Forest arts fest, early October: www.wakeforestdowntown.com

Crowley, La., International Rice Festival, mid-October: www.ricefestival.com

Staunton, Va., Shenendoah Fall Foliage Bike festival, mid-October: www.shenandoahbike.org

Northport, Ala., Kentuck Festival of Arts, late October: www.kentuck.org

Rock-Paper-Scissors International World Championships in Toronto

http://www.rpschamps.com/

Raft beneath the New River Gorge Bridge on Bridge Day, in W.Va.
http://www.officialbridgeday.com/

American Royal BBQ Contest in KC Mizzou,  www.americanroyal.com

Great American Beer Festival
Denver
www.beertown.org.events/gabf

NOVEMBER
Good time to go to Europe

Good time to go to Canada, through March

Macy’s Parade
www.macys.com/campaign/parade/parade.jsp

DECEMBER
Art Basel in Miami Beach
www.artbaselmiamibeach.com

Good time to go to Vegas

WHAT TO DO FOR JET LAG:
Get good nightS’ (plural) sleep before leaving, and don’t leave packing til last minute. Drink lots of water on the plane and avoid booze and caffeine. Sleep on the plane if possible.
Wear sunglasses outdoors for daytime arrival, eat lightly, stay up til bedtime.

Or, visit these places:
San Juan, EST plus one hour
El Picoteo, visit the port, visit the fortress El Morro and Casa Blanca museum. Visit the beaches and the Caribbean National Forest
Stay at the Hotel El Convento

Montreal: EST
Historic districts, Notre Dame Basilica Garge Manger. Eat at Olive et Gourmando. Go to the underground mall Galerie Place Ville Marie. In summer, go to the International Jazz festival.  Stay at Hotel Nelligan

Quebec City: EST
Place Royal, Notre Dame des Victoires, Restaurant Toast! Stay at the Fiarmont Le Chateau Frontenac.  Or the Auberge saint-Antoine

Buenos Aires – EST plus 2 hours
Visit MALBA. Eat at la Brigada. The San Telmo flea market on Sundays. Stay at the Hotel Home. Or the Alvear Place Hotel.  See the La Recoleta cemetery where Eva Peron’s planted.

St. Bart EST plus 1 hour
Avoid the holidays. Go in summer. Pizza at Andy’s Hideaway Maya’s to Go, stay at the Isle De France hotel or the François Plantation.

Guadalajara CST
Centro Hitorico, the cathedral  Visit Tlaquepaque for shopping and eat at the Restaurante Sin Nombre. Stay at Hotel Morales.

www.timeanddate.com

WHAT TO DO FOR MOTION SICKNESS:
Get a prescription for a scopolamine patch
Get acupressure wristbands
Take Dramamine 8 hours before leaving and be ready to nap.
Chew candied ginger and drink ginger tea

WHAT TO DO FOR BUG BITES:
Take drugs for bug-borne diseases, use repellent with 30 percent DEET. 
Stay indoors at dusk.
Take an antihistamine and a cold bath. Avoid scratching. Go to a hospital if your tongue swells.

WHAT TO DO FOR BLISTERS:
Break in your shoes before you leave.
Wear two pairs of socks: a thin synthetic sock to lower friction with a second bulkier layer to wick away sweat.
Trim out the chafey part of the shoe and cover with bandage tape. Cover blisters with bandages or moleskin.

WHAT TO DO FOR SUNBURN:
Duh, wear sunscreen.
Loose fitting, tightly woven clothing.
Tepid showers. Aloe vera gel and 800 mg of ibuprofen with food for several days.  No booze.

WHAT TO DO FOR FOOD POISONING:
Avoid street-food, undercooked egg dishes, raw seafood, rare specialty meats.
Be patient and stay near a bathroom.
If fever exceeds 101.3 or gastric distress lasts 3 days or has blood, see a doctor.

PACKING:
Emergency Kit:
Activated charcoal tablets
Antacid
Antidiarrheal medicine
Antihistamines for allergies
Bandages
Candied ginger
Bug spray
Laxatives
Nonaspirin pain reliever
Sunscreen
Thermometer

Use a matchbook or stationery to remember hotel name and address
Use checkbook to separate currencies.
Hotel shower cap to hold sandy shoes if you forget a Ziploc
Arm floatys to protect breakables.

WHAT TO DO IN SAN FRANCISCO:
PPQ Dungeness Island, get the crab
DeYoung Museum
Pier 39
Alcatraz, Coit Tower, Lombard Street
Hard Knox Café
Union Square
Westin St. Francis Hotel

WHAT TO DO IN CHICAGO:
Chicago Children’s Museum on Navy Pier
Cubs game at Wrigley
Signature Lounge above the Hancock Observatory
Southport Corridor north of the El stop.
For Kids: Beaches. The El. The zoo. Millennium Park Crown Fountain
See About last Night and The Blues Brothers 2000.
Read Devil in the White City and Boss: Richard J. Daley of Chicago.

WHAT TO DO IN AMSTERDAM:
Red light district is tourist trap, but worth seeing.
Head to the high-design furniture store, antique markets and book stores.
Visit the Rijksmuseum and the van Gogh Museum. Tour the Ann Frank House
Ride along the canals.
Stay at Canal House

WHAT TO DO IN NOLA
Jacques-Imo’s Café, for shrimp and alligator sausage cheesecake, paneed duck, carpetbagger steak.
Ogden Museum of Southern Art and the national WWII Museum
French Quarter, Garden District
Bourbon Street
Maple Leaf Bar on Oak Street and Columns Hotel on St. Charles

HOW-TO VACATIONS:
www.vocationvacations.com
www.roadfood.com
www.habitat.org
www.espn.com/travel

GIFTS:
Grocery stores
Local music store
Local jewelry
Toy store
Sports teams

FOOD:
Burgerville in Portland, Ore www.burgerville.com
Wahoo’s fish tacos in LA www.wahoos.com
Gates barbecue in KC Mizzou www.gatesbbq.com
Corky’s BBQ in Memphis www.corkysbbq.com
Culvers in Wis., www.culvers.com
The Varsity in Atlanta www.thevarsity.com
Papa Gino’s in New England www.papaginos.com
Kelly’s roast beef in Boston www.kellysroastbeef.com
www.travelerslunchbox.com
Indian rice bowls
Jamaican jerk (pork or chicken)

ISLANDS IN U.S.
Block Island, RI head to Mansion beach, visit Mohegan Bluffs. Stay at the National Hotel or rent a house in the island interior

Bald Head Island NC No cars. Visit Eb and Flo’s for seafood. Rent a private house.

Catalina, CA Go snorkeling and look at the tiles. Shop and eat in Avalon. Hike, Ride horses. Visit the airport. Stay at the Hotel Portofino.

Isle of Palms SC Play golf bask on the Wild Dunes, Go to Sullivans’ Island and watch the sunset while eating at Atlanticville.

Little St. Simons Island, Ga., Kayak, rest, look at loggerhead nests. Stay at The Lodge.

Mackinac Island Ride a buggy or rent a tandem bike. Eat at the Cannonball Drive In. Drink at the Grand Hotel. Stay at the Lilac Tree hotel.

Marathon, Fla., Drive on the Key Road. Eat at Leigh Ann’s coffee shop on the way to Grassy Keys’ Dolphin Research Center. Stay at Tranquility Bay beach houses.

Orcas Island, WA mount Constitution and whales. Visit the art gallery, stay at The Inn on Orcas Island.

Sanibel Island, FL shell hunt, eat at the Lazy Flamingo stay at the Sundial beach and golf resort.

WHAT TO DO IN VEGAS:
Stay on the strip. Dine at celebrity restaurants. See a show. Visit Red Rock canyon and Hoover Dam.

WHAT TO DO IN DUBLIN:
Guinness Storehouse brewery
Chester Beatty library
Phoenix Park
Eat at Gruel and Peploe’s Wine Bistro
Stay at the Grafton House

WHAT TO DO IN BANGKOK:
Check out the nightclubs
Eat authentic Thai food, including curry. Shop at Siam Paragon Mall
Stay at the Khao san boutique hotels.

WHAT TO DO IN DC
The mall
Rock Creek Park
National Arboretum
Penn Quarter neighborhood for food
Go to the Phillips
Shop at 14th and U
Stay at the Hotel Monaco
See the American President and Mr. Smith goes to Washington.
Read Washington DC by Vidal and Literary Washington by David Cutler.

What to Do in Charleston:
Market Pavilion hotel (rooftop restaurant) or Charleston Place hotel.
Hampton inn historic district
Hominy Grill
Poogan’s porch on Queen st.
McCrady’s

Tidewater Inn on Eastern Shore; Restaurant Local

What to Do in Wilmington
Green Room at Hotel DuPont
        821 Market Street
        Harry’s Seafood Grill
        Deep Blue
        Sweet Somethings

What to Do in Oxford:
        Restaurant 208 south Lamar
        Proud Larry’s
        The Colonel’s Quarters
        Off square Books
       
At the Umstead Hotel request a lake view room
Herons

WHAT TO DO IN ASPEN:
Attend the ballet
Eat outside in summer Cache Cache and Campo de Flori
Gucci and Dior, or Susie’s Limited. Hotel Lenado.

HARD TO GET LOST HERE:
Sydney
Opera House, Circular Quay, CityRail train, SydneyPass.
Stay at the Harbour Rocks Hotel

Hong Kong
Central District has everything and is transport hub to other neighborhoods like Kowloon. Buy an Octopus card. JW Marriott hotel.

Boston
Do the whole town on foot
Take the T
Buy a Charlie Card. Stay at the Boston Park Plaza.  Or the Buckminster

Paris
Divided into 20 arrondissements Look for the seine, which splits the city.  Tour by neighborhood. Buy a Paris Visite pass for Metro. Left is artsy cafes and antiques. Right is high fashion and luxury hotels.

NYC
City is on a grid. Buy a metrocard and take the subway. Or cabs.
See Annie Hall and When Harry met sally. Read Martin Dresller: The Tale of an American Dreamer and Forever by Pete Hamill.

IF YOU’VE SEEN THIS: GO HERE
Paris: Saint-Paul de Vence and Antibes meet the locals. Go to museums. Eat at La Colombe d’or.  Morning markets.

Rome: Perugia. See the Etruscan ruins, eat the cuisine. Look at art by Perugina. Visit Umbrian villages and festivals in May and June.
Stay at the Hotel Brufani Palace.

French Wine Country: Douro Valley in Portugal.
Cruise from the city of Port, House of Sandemanwinery. Visit Pinhao. Stay at the Pestana Porto hotel.

London: Berlin – Tour the Jewish Museum, Mauer museum at Checkpoint Charlie. Shop at Kurfurstendamm and KaDeWe. Stay at the Dorint Sofitel am Gendarmenmarkt.

Prague; Ljubljana: eat at Harambasa. Tour the Celica hostel. Visit the Julian Alps or go to Piran. Stay at the Antiq Hotel.

FAMILY FRIENDLY:
Vancouver: Ride ferries. Go to kids market, Eat at Cupcakes and stay at the Granville island hotel.

San Diego: See the zoo. Beaches. Theme parks. Carlsbad. Stay at the Omni San Diego.

Maui: Swimming Whale watching  Stay at the outrigger Napili shores hotel.
Surf, body surf, windsurf on all beaches, snorkel, glass-bottom boat, submarine from mankala harbor, golf, visit sugarcane or pineapple plantations. Vineyards, local galleries.
Boutiques and nightlife in Lahaina
Drive or horse ride on hana coast to see rain forests
Pipiwai trail in Haleakala national part o see 7 Sacred Pools and 400-foot waterfall. Dive and swim
Drive up to and hike inside volcanic crater on haleakala. Bike ride down at sunrise.
Go to a luau and eat roast pork
Canoe or kayak on the ocean
Eat at mama’s fish house or kimo’s
Tay at the ka-anapali beach hotel – free ukulele and hula lessons. Kids activities.
Stay at the 4 seasons resort, maui. New spa, tech-friendly rooms, children’s programs.
Go in late april, may or October.  Go see whales mate  from Jan-April on the napil and wailea coasts.
Make your own kite at the Big Wind Kite Factory tour in Molokai. www.molokai.com/kites

Steamboat, Colo.: Okemo Vt: Steamboat is 45 minutes from natural springs.
Ride the gondola to restaurants.
Okemo has a village nearby
Slopes are good for kids in skiing.
Stay at the Staeamboat Grand hotel or the Jackson Gore Inn.
Take the Ben & Jerry’s factory tour in Waterbury VT. Benjerry.com/scoop_shops/factory_tour

Cruises:
Have kids programs. Buffets. See a lot of places without changing hotels.

WALKING TOURS:
Franz Kafka: through Prague.
North Beach and Chinatown for Steinbeck, Capote, Thomas and Kerouac.
Jane Austen tour in Bath. 
Algonquin tour: ends at Algonquin hotel.
Boston Movie Mile – The Departed, Amistad and Good Will Hunting.
Holditchs’ Heritage Tours in NOLA of Faulkner, Williams and Walker Percy.

USEFUL WEB SITES
www.wikiair.com stuff to do during layovers.
www.airfarewatchdog.com  locatin last-minut deals. Subscribe to e-newsletter.
www.farecast.com book a flight at most opportune time.
www.cruisemates.com make the most of a cruise.
www.site59.com weekend packages, book 3 hours before takeoff. Arrange 2 trips in one. Use “meet me in” to fly to central locations.
www.whatsonwhen.com calendar of events worldwide.
www.yelp.com locals recommend stuff message boards.
www.gusto.com make your own e-guide.
www.gridskipper.com traveling in style, offbeat places to see, where to eat, recommended by “savvy urbanites.”
www.themeparkinsider.com informed reviews organized by park pages.
www.hopstop.com -- mapquest for walking, subways, etc.
www.oanda.com currency converter
www.airlinemeals.net menu planning for long flights.
www.roadtripamerica.com calcultes fule costs, offers trip ideas, scenic routes, driving tips.
www.seatguru.com find info on airline seats – laptop plugs, space for a carseat.
www.minimus.biz travel size toiletry and individually wrapped snacks
www.onebag.com travelers who want to vacation with Just One Bag.
www.airtroductions.com -- itinerant dating.

WHEN TO:
Fly: 6-7 a.m. on Tuesday or Saturday.
Empire State Building: at night, midweek.  If you must go in daytime, make it 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. or right when they open.
Reserve at a popular restaurant: 3-6 months ahead. Or as soon as you can: Call 3 months ahead and mark calendar for when you Can first reserve.
Standby seats: Tuesday or Wednesday, less crowded planes.
Disney tours: When school is in session.  Or get a hotel room and visit at first opening and go back between 3-7.
Buy souvenirs? At the end of the day .
Broadway show: Tues or Weds night, esp. Jan-April.  TKTS opens at 3 p.m. bring cash.
Kids to museum: After 1 on a schoolday.
Buy a swimsuit: Feb or March
Buy luggage: April-June
Take photos: morning or late afternoon.
Grand Canyon: Last 2 weeks of august, 2-3 hours before sunset.
Passport renewal: November

TRAVELING WITH MONEY
Short form: Pay for credit cards whenever possible, carry a small amount of local currency with you and use ATMs to get more local currency. See if your bank has ATMs where you are going to reduce fees.

Foreign currency:
Convert a small amount to foreign currency before leaving, for cabs and tips.  Only do a small amount because of unnecessary fees.  Remember not to exchange more than you need, since you’ll have to pay to change it back if you want to spend the money after your trip.  Also, you’re not protected if your wallet is stolen.  AVOID EXCHANGE TELLERS.  Pool group funds and split service charges. In Britain, exhange at post offices. 

ATMS
Widely available
Bank-to-bank exchange rate is good. $1.5-$5 per transaction.
But foreign ATMS night not accept your code,  make sure it is FOUR NUMBERS.
Check to see if your bank has ATMS where you are going, which will reduce fees.

Credit cards:
Offers best exchange rates, and best protection in case of theft.
Make sure the company knows you’re traveling, so you aren’t cut off. Make sure you have cash for places that don’t take credit, like street vendors, and make sure you have a card that is widely accepted.  Make sure to check your statement and contest the international fees.

Traveler’s checks
Peace of mind – only signatures are valid and lost ones are replaced
Some merchants won’t take them or will charge a fee.  Could get stuck with large checks you can’t cash, or huge amounts of change from small purchases. Hard to get rid of when you get home.  Not worth it.

Tipping
Hotel:
$1 per bag for bellhops 
$1 per person for cabs hailed.
$2-5 per night for housekeepers.

Restaurants
Australia: Not expected, but 10 percent is common in tourist areas.
Austria: 10-15 percent service charge included, add another 5-7 percent
Belgium: Includes 16 percent gratuity. Just round off to nearest euro.
Canada: Same as US
China – not practiced on mainland.  In Hong Kong, 10 percent added to bill, give 5 percent cash to server directly.
England – check the bill. If no service fee, 10-15 percent
France add 5 percent to 15 percent charge
Germany Service is usually included, but 10-15 percent additional is expected.  Do not leave it on the table, hand it to the waiter.
Greece – 13 percent added to bill, leave 8-10 percent for satisfactory service.
Ireland 10-15 percent usually in the bill. If not, tip at least that much.
Italy – See England.
Japan – Tipping is rude, don’t do it.
Mexico: See England.
Netherlands – Add an extra 5-10 percent to the included service charge
Spain – 14 percent is usually included, an additional 5-10 is customary.
Swtizerland – 15 percent is included, add a few euros for good service.

Terms:
Monkey: 500-pound note in UK
Loonie: $1 coin in Canada
Broccoli paper banknote in Australia
Nanny $500 bill, with national heroine in Jamaica
Hawaii – 50-pound note in UK
Sac – 1,000 euros in france
Neuro – 1 euro in italy.

VACATIONS WHERE YOU CAN:
Sleep in a tree:
Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur postranchinn.com
Silky Oaks in Daintree rain forest, Australia silkyoakslodge.com.au
Green Magic Nature Resort in kerala India tourindiakerala.com
Cedar Creek Tree House ashford, wash., cedarcreektreehouse.com
Tsala Treetop in Western cape south Africa, tsalatreetops.com

Golf:
Ocean Course at Cabo del sol in cabo san lucas cabodelsol.com
Pebble beach pebblebeach.com
Trump international  at raffles on Canouan island in the Grenadines canouan.com
Falls Golf Clyub at lakelasvegas.com
mid Ocean in Bermuda themidoceanclubbermuda.com
Ocean Course at Kiawah SC proshop.kiawahresort.com
Bethpage nysparks.state.ny.us/golf
Ritz-carlton in Jupiter, Fla. ritzcarltonrealestate.com

Be on Your Own Island:
Dream Island in French Polynesia $400-600 a night, 3-night min.

Ride Rollercoasters:
Holiday World in Santa Claus, Ind.
Six Flags Atlanta
Alton Towers in England
Kennywood in West Mifflin Pa
Dollywood in Tenn.
Busch Gardens in Tampa
Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio

Literary stuff
Marktwainhouse.org in Hartford conn
Robertfrostfarm.org Robert Frost farm in Derry NH
The Mount in Lenox mass, edithwharton.org
Hotel monteleone NOLA. Faulkner, Williams, hemingway
Hay-on-Wye wales hay-on-wye.co.uk for secondhand books
Rosenbach.com in philly literary museum

Put yourself on ice
Icehotel.com in Sweden
Icehotel-canada.com
Mammut snow hotel in finland snowcastle.net
Alta igloo in Norway alta-friluftspark.no
Chenahotsprings.co ice hotel in Alaska

Get Spa'd
Ponte Vedra Inn, Jville Fla.
Hotel Dupont in Wilmington, Del.
Hotel Phillips in KC Mizzou
Grove Park Inn in Asheville NC
Boar’s Head Inn, Charlottesville, VA
Lake Austin Spa in TX
Reynolds Plantation east of Atlanta
Nashville’s Hermitage Hotel
Hotel Crescent Court in Dallas
Peabody Hotel in Memphis

PROJECT VACATIONS:
Botswana
Walking safari, elephant or horse ride on safari. Sleep outside. Take a night camp by a water hole. Open jeep safaris, add on a trip to cape town or Victoria falls.

Work with safari specialists or choose a tour package that shuttles you fro mcamp to camp. Harrisons 10-day Botswana Luxury Tents tour includes 3 top camps and air transfers.
Mombo camp best game viewing areas.
Duba plains camp
Savuti camp

Go from June-september for best viewing. Go in December-February to save money.
Go down the rivers in a mokoro and spot hippos, crocodiles, birds, zebras, antelopes and buffalo.

Royal Caribbean Cruise
Shop duty free in Charlotte Amalie and Philipsburg
Visit the el yunque rain forest outside san juan
Mayan ruins at Tulum mexico
Swim in stingray city
Climb dunn’s river falls in ocho rios
Walk along royal caribbean’s private coast in Haiti. Hit the on-site water park.
Stay on a middle deck, in a cabin not under noisy areas like promenade or the disco. Get a room with a balcony. Offers children’s programs.  Book early.
Children aboard summer and school holidays. Hurricane season is june-november.
Circus of the seas parade, viewed from the café promenade.

Mayan Riviera
Chichen itza and coba and tulum
Dive the reef, go to Cozumel
Walk and reef tour along seafloor using breathing helmets at xcaret eco park
Snorkel in lagoons of fish
Golf at el camaleon at Fairmont mayakoba resort
Learn about mayans at chetumal
Stay at the azul beach hotel – kids club, tequla lounge.
Maroma hotel – no kids under 16 jan-april, no children under 12 period
Go in winter and spring, expensive. Summer is hot and humid. Hurricanes june-november.
Visit the cenotes.

Tuscany
See florcen and shop prada, Armani and other outlets
San gimignano and its 14th-cent frescoes
Bike the wall encircling lucca. Tour villas
Swim at the beach towns on the Italian reiviera, giglio island or the saturnia spa
Climb the leaning tower
Visit castle dungeons and church crypts
Visit Pinocchio park in colloid

Stay at the hotel J&J in santa croce district near the duomo.
Stay at a villa between Florence and siena or near winemaking hill towns of motepulciano and montalcino.
Or stay at il pellicano
Go june-september for peak season, or May or October for cooler, less expensive times.
Plan around the palio each july 2 and aug 16, a minute-and-a-half horse reace.

GET IN THE MOOD
London: See Love, Actually and Passport to Pimlico. Read Vile Bodies and Hawksmoor

Paris: See Charade and Amelie, read Capturing Paris: A Novel and A Moveable Feast.

Rome: Roman porchetta (whole roasted pig)
See Roman Holida and Romanzo criminale. Read Imperium: A Novel of Ancient Rome and The Screts of Rome: Love and Death in the Eternal City.

Vegas: See both Ocean’s 11 and Casino. Read In the Shadow of the Strip and Sharks in the Desert.

LA: See LA Story and Chinatown.  Read Writing Los Angeles and City of Quartz.

Tokyo: Sushi dai  in Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo at 5 a.m.
See Lost in Translation and Howl’s Moving Castle.  Read Tokyo: A view of the city and Tsjkiji: The fishmarket ad the Center of the World.

YEAR ROUND
Cibolo Creek Ranch in Marfa, TX  www.cibolocreekranch.com
Turtle Club restaurant in Naples, Fla.  www.theturtleclubrestaurant.com
Fly fishing in the Soque River in Clarksville Ga., www.blackhawkflyfishing.com
Broken Bow Lake, Okla., www.brokenbowchamber.com
Walk the levee in NOLA, www.neworleanscvb.com

READ
James Dean Died Here, on amazon, and www.hamptonlandmarks.com

TOURS
Crayola factory tour in Easton, Pa. www.crayola.com/factory
Jelly Belly Tour, Fairfield, Ca., www.jellybelly.com
Macungie assembly operations tour  in Macungie Pa., www.macktrucks.com
Williamsburg doll factory tour, Williamsburg, va., www.dollfactory.com
Tom’s of Maine tour in Sanford, Maine, www.tomsofmaine.com
Hershey, Pa., www.hersheyschocolateworld.com
Future of filght and boeing tour in Mukilteo, Wash. www.futureofflight.org
Louisville Slugger in Ky. www.sluggermuseum.org

Skip recordings: www.gethuman.com

Year in Review, 2006

We are back from our whirlwind visit to Illinois. Pictures on flickr. Not much to report from that -- got there Thursday night. Went to the park and the store on Friday morning, then helped my mom scrub floors at the farmhouse and drove around the East and West Timber and through Rabbit Hollow. Opened presents Friday night. Helped my parents paint primer on walls of three of the 5 rooms in the farmhouse, and two ceilings on Saturday. Dinner from Steak and Shake on Saturday night. Came home Sunday. Now I'm home to watch the Rose Bowl and do my year in review blog stuff.

This is one reason why I shouldn't make New Year's Resolutions.

In all, I finished the Shelby Foote series and read 29 other books. Not bad, but not great.

Lose weight!  Ha! I went the other direction. I gained. Blargh.

But what the hey. I'll make the same resolutions again this year, minus the Shelby Foote. So here we go again: 40 books, 40 lbs.

In other meme-age: Back before I was a dot-com, I had a couple LiveJournals. Here's my annual year-end meme, a little later this year. And renumbered, so that numbers aren't missing in the middle, which is why it only goes up to 38 and not 40.

1. What did you do in 2006 that you'd never done before?
Bought a TV that cost more than a computer.

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Hahahahaha. See above.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Some acquaintances, nobody very close, though.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No one close enough for me to attend a funeral.

5. What countries did you visit?
Just other parts of this one.

6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?
A better run in the stock market.

7. What date from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Uhhm. None aside from the usual ones.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Not killing the kid.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not teaching the kid to read.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Only dropping the damn log on my toe.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
TV! TV! TV!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Tom's sitter, who remains one of the nicest people I've ever met.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Mark Foley. A certain friend going through a rough patch.

14. Where did most of your money go?
House stuff. Dining room set, TV set, probably some other set.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Seeing Ruby Falls.

16. What song will always remind you of 2006?
I Don't Feel Like Dancin', as it was off the first CD that I bought after pledging to get back into buying music. That, and the Young Prince looked hilarious chair-dancing to it in the back seat.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
    i. happier or sadder? About the same. Maybe even happier, if that's possible.
    ii. thinner or fatter? Fat-fat-fatter.
    iii. richer or poorer? Just keep moving up. Last year's answer applies: Richer in all senses of the term.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Photographing and videotaping the Young Prince and the rest of the family.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Not get enough sleep.

20. How (did) you spend Christmas?
A nice cozy weekend at home. Eating goose and watching DVDs.

21. Did you fall in love in 2006?
Yes. With  our new log-splitter.

22. How many one-night stands?
With the log-splitter? Too many.

23. What was your favorite TV program?
I watched all the back episodes of Gilmore Girls and liked those, but this season sucked. I am partial to House.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Hate? No. Feel disappointment toward? Yes.

25. What was the best book you read?
Shelby Foote was probably the best, but I also really liked The Alienist.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
The Monster cable that lets me charge my iPod in the car as it plays.

27. What did you want and get?
These. A happy kid. More money. A dining room set. A big TV. Pretty much everything.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
I only see kids' movies the year they come out. My favorite film I'd never seen before this year was probably Hi Life.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I worked. 35.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Last year's answer still applies. Having a jillion dollars. Short of that, my year was pretty darn good.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006?
Slightly more professional.

32. What kept you sane?
Family. Chocolate.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I still don't know what this question means. Which one did I want to sleep with?  Or which one was I most impressed with their behavior? I don't think I really have a good answer, either way.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
Well, probably the election.

35. Who did you miss?
I didn't really miss anyone very much. It was nice. 

36. Who was the best new person you met?
Probably the guy who joined my staff last week. Or maybe Maliavale.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006:
How to manage different people in different ways. When to be understanding vs. when to throw chairs.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Here comes the sunshine
Here comes that son of mine
Here comes the everything

Alternative Uses

Crockpot
Cake: Coat bottom and sides of crockpot with cooking spray, pour in cake batter, cook on low setting for 2.5-3 hours. Let cake cool 30 minutes Serve warm or at room temperature spooned into bowls with chocolate sauce drizzled over and topped with whipped cream.

Wrap marinated chicken or vegetables in parchment paper and cook in the pot until done.
Make cider and keep hot during a party.
Serve cheese fondue from a low setting.

Ice Cream Maker
Pour 1 12-oz cola into the machine and let it go to work. When it’s slushy, serve it up in two glasses.
Make margaritas by pouring mix sans alcohol into the maker. When liquid has frozen, add tequila and triple sec.
Lime Rickey: 6 oz seltzer, 1 oz simple syrup (2 parts sugar in 1 part boiling water) and 1 oz lime juice into machine. Freeze 15-20 minutes.
Frozen hot chocolate: make instant cocoa and run machine for 20 minutes.

Rice Cooker:
Steam towels: Dampen, fold in thirds, roll and steam for 5 minutes.
Also use to make hot cereal, takes twice as long, but with no stirring.

Cappuccino Machine:
Crack an egg in a coffee cup, whip with a fork, then insert milk foamer. Steam will cook the egg.

Coffee Grinder:
Breadcrumbs.
Sugar and dried fruit or cinnamon.  Can be kept in a sealed jar for 6 weeks.

Waffle iron:
Grilled cheese: 1 T butter, 2 slices bread, 2 slices cheese. Butter bread on one side, place on iron butter side down. Add cheese, and second buttered slice of bread, butter side up. Cook 2-4 minutes.
Calzone: 2 rounds of pizza dough. Place one on hot iron, top with whatever, cover with the other, Cook 2-4 minutes.

Pasta maker can shred paper.

Coffeemaker:
Make tea – infused with fruit or not.  Add teabags and sliced fruit in basket and run.

Electric knife:
Cake, fruit, turkey.

How to Throw a Party

ENTERTAINING:

Place settings: Wrap a complete place setting including the plate with a big rubber band or bow.
Use a Twister mat as a tablecloth.
Fill a large clear glass vase with water and drop in apples to float.
Cluster votives wrapped in paper cut with pinking shears.
Fill a large footed vase with foil-wrapped candies for a centerpiece.
Personalize mugs and send them home with guests using ZIG markers.

If Kids Are Invited:

Stock up on coloring books, toys, and DVDs.

HOW TO DO A DESSERT BUFFET:

Set up the table the night before: Place a couple small platters or plates of assorted pastries around the room on a coffee table or mantel to divert some traffic from the buffet table.

Set out small dishes of chocolates or nuts.

Place the plates at the far end of the table, the food in the middle and the beverages, cutlery and napkins at the other end so guests are free to reach for the pastries.

There is no such thing as too many napkins, both on the buffet and end tables.

Maintain stocks. When a platter empties, replace or remove it.

BARBECUES:

Mix solids, stripes and prints. Use coated paper plates to stand up to barbecue sauce. Use butcher paper as a runner for easy cleanup. Put flowers in cardboard vases.

Set out ant traps the day before the event. Jars of sugar water 10-15 feet from the dining area will divert bees and bugs. Set up a mosquito proofing station with wipes and bug spray. Use wipes or washrags for cleaning residue off hands.

Drag chairs and coffee tables from the den, use blankets and big pillows.

Grill only one or two foods at the event. Serve make-ahead stuff like grilled vegetables.

Set out a basket of sunscreen, lip balm, sun visors and hats, and bamboo fans from pearlriver.com .

Fill squeeze bottles with special barbecue sauce in craft-store squeeze bottles wrapped in ribbon or with glued-on butcher paper labels.

BRUNCH:

Centerpieces of clear plastic boxes with wheatgrass and fake butterflies. Stack pink and blue paper plates and napkins on placemats and top off with doilies. Use silver-colored plastic flatware.

Set the table in the shade for midday, set it in the sun for late afternoon.

Set out ant traps the day before the event. Jars of sugar water 10-15 feet from the dining area will divert bees and bugs. Set up a mosquito proofing station with wipes and bug spray. Use wipes or washrags for cleaning residue off hands.

Use a light, cool menu. Melon, poached chicken, fresh fruit desserts.

Set out flipflops and sunglasses.

Send each guest home with a packet of flower seeds tied in raffia with a fake butterfly.

DINNER

Simple white tablecloth, with a linen runner. Use a theme of blue and silver.

Set out ant traps the day before the event. Jars of sugar water 10-15 feet from the dining area will divert bees and bugs. Set up a mosquito proofing station with wipes and bug spray. Use wipes or washrags for cleaning residue off hands.

Set out easy appetizers: cherry tomatoes, cubes of cheese, basil leaf drizzled with oil and skewered.

DIY ice cream sandwiches for dessert, using fresh chocolate chip cookies.

Set out blankets, sweatshirts, shawls for when the night cools off.

Use a closet door mirror as a table runner, topped with candles of different thicknesses and heights.